Structured wiring systems are currently installed in buildings whereby a number of services are typically fed into a service entrance location. These services may include for example television service, telephone, satellite communications, digital communications, closed circuit television communications, wireless links, and other entertainment or data services. These services are fed into the building utilizing any number of media such as coaxial cable, standard unshielded twisted pair cable, fiber optic cable, or other suitable conductors. The structured wiring system of the building typically consists of multiple types of cables each running from outlets in the rooms of the building to the service entrance location.
Structured wiring systems have been developed and are commercially available by OnQ Technologies. These systems allow connection between each of the various cables coming from the rooms of the building to selected services coming into the service entrance location. An enclosure for receiving the various cables of the structured wiring system and the services is located near the service entrance location. The enclosures typically provide the ability to redirect selected services to selected rooms by reconfiguring the connections within an enclosure. The enclosures are configured to receive the services along a panel. Various components such as ethernet switches, cable television splitters, music distribution modules, and other distribution devices are mounted to the panel. The services are then connected to the selected distribution devices and cables from the selected rooms are connected to the distribution device to allow the selected service to pass through the distribution device to the selected outlet in the selected room.
These structured wiring systems also typically provide the ability to remotely or intelligently control various electrical and electronic components within the building such as lighting control and climate control. Such control is accomplished through a data bus distributed throughout the outlets of the building which are connected to addressable components which control a selected device such as lights or thermostats or a security system. The data bus is connected to control and distribution components within the enclosure mounted on the panel. These control and distribution devices may be programmable through the use of a computer or other programming device.
Since a multitude of services along with potentially a large number of cables coming into the enclosure from the outlets of the building all converge at a single location in the enclosure, wire management presents a problem. Additionally, it is desirable to have the ability to expand the capabilities of the enclosure as outlets or components are added to the structured wiring system. What is needed is an improved wire and component management system that allows for the system to be expandable while maintaining wire management capabilities and ultimate flexibility in mounting system components.